Red Lentils and Roasted Sweet Potato Soup

We’ve had a classic Canadian winter this year. One with the works, spells of freezing sub zero temperatures, lots and lots of snow, slick icy roads and influenza doing the rounds. Needless to say winter is my least favorite season of the year. It’s not just the freezing temperatures that bother me but donning the heavy winter gear every time you step out is so not fun! Of course having to tip toe on the icy ground or trudging along in the snow, while wearing all of that, with a baby in tow, who is equally weighed down in winter clothes, is hardly a walk in the park. And to make things worse, influenza and cold viruses are at their peak in winters. We have all been sick, multiple times this season with bouts of colds and flu.

Since my husband caught a cold last week, I have been researching foods that might help darling hubby feel better and those that boost immunity that could prevent my little one from catching a cold again. Vitamin C, chicken soup and lots of water is what I usually rely on, to help ward of colds. I recently discovered however, that there are certain other vegetarian foods that help fight colds. Two of these, namely garlic and sweet potato, are the ingredients that I used for this soup. Allicin, the major compound in garlic that also gives it that pungency, helps the body fight bacteria and viruses. Sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamin A (beta-carotene), which helps our body make white blood cells, that help fight infections. Red lentils pack a punch, with their high protein content. The recipe is as follows:

Serves: 3

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato – 1 (Cubed)

Garlic Cloves – 4

Split Red Lentils – 1/4 Cup

Onion – 1/2 Medium (Chopped)

Olive Oil – 2 Tablespoons

Salt – 1 and 1/4 Teaspoon

Chicken Broth / Vegetable Broth – 3 Cups (Unsalted)

Cloves – 4

Peppercorn – 1/4 Teaspoon

Oregano – Pinch (For garnish)

Chili Flakes – Pinch (For garnish)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place sweet potatoes and garlic in a baking tray lined with parchment paper or aluminium foil. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon oil and add 1 tablespoon oil to the vegetables and bake for 15 minutes in the middle rack.

In a pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil and then add chopped onions. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes and then add the lentils, broth, salt, peppercorn and cloves. Cover the pot and simmer on low – medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add the roasted sweet potatoes and garlic to the pot. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

At the end of the 20 minutes, remove cloves and blend contents of the pot.

Garnish with oregano and / or chili flakes and serve hot!

I hope you enjoy this hot bowl of delicious soup that not just keeps you warm, but also boosts your immune system this winter!